Staff Product Manager, Photonics

Job Title

Staff Product Manager, Photonics (OptoCompiler & Lumerical)

Role Summary

Lead product strategy and roadmap for Synopsys' photonics tools (OptoCompiler and Lumerical). Work with R&D, customers, and go-to-market teams to define requirements, prioritize features, and drive product launches that address photonic IC and optical design workflows.

Experience Level

Senior-level. Typical expectation: 5+ years of product management experience in photonics, optics, simulation software, or closely related technical domains (or 3+ years with an advanced degree).

Responsibilities

You will set strategy, translate customer needs into actionable requirements, and lead launches and market execution.

• Own product strategy and the roadmap for OptoCompiler and Lumerical across datacom, silicon photonics, co-packaged optics, foundries, AR/VR, and quantum applications.
• Gather customer and field input; define clear product requirements and prioritized backlogs for R&D.
• Engage directly with customers (semiconductor companies, foundries, research institutions) to understand workflows and adoption blockers.
• Make prioritization decisions balancing customer impact, technical feasibility, competitive position, and business value.
• Lead end-to-end product launches: release content, positioning and messaging, pricing/packaging recommendations, and internal/external enablement.
• Support go-to-market activities with Product Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success (materials, webinars, presentations).
• Monitor competitive and industry trends to identify opportunities, partnerships, and investments.

Requirements

Must-have skills and experience for immediate success in this role.

• 5+ years product management experience in photonics, optics, simulation software, or closely related technical domains (or 3+ years with an advanced degree).
• Deep practical knowledge of photonic design workflows and simulation methods (e.g., FDTD, EME, FEEM) and the use cases that drive tool adoption.
• Direct experience with OptoCompiler, Lumerical, or adjacent photonic design and simulation platforms.
• Proven ability to own a product roadmap and make prioritization decisions that balance customer impact, technical risk, and business value.
• Strong technical communication and stakeholder management skills; able to present roadmaps, trade-offs, and business cases to customers and executives.
• Track record of leading product launches including positioning, messaging, pricing/packaging recommendations, and sales enablement.
• Willingness to travel occasionally for customer visits, conferences, and team meetings.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience in EDA, photonic design automation, optical simulation, or adjacent engineering software markets.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, optics, photonics, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience. Advanced degrees (MS or PhD) are preferred and can substitute for some experience requirements.

About the Company

Company: Synopsys

Headquarters: Mountain View, California, USA

Synopsys is a leading company in electronic design automation (EDA) and semiconductor IP solutions. It provides tools and services for designing and verifying complex semiconductor devices and systems. The company plays a pivotal role in the semiconductor industry, helping engineers innovate and deliver higher-quality products faster. Synopsys is committed to advancing technology standards and offers a range of software and hardware solutions to its clients globally.